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MISA NAMIBIA ENCOURAGES PUBLIC TO EMBRACE A FREE PRESS
2nd February 2009
2 FEBRUARY 2009

SUBJECT: MISA NAMIBIA ENCOURAGES PUBLIC TO EMBRACE A FREE PRESS

The Namibian Chapter of the Media Institute of Southern Africa is once again calling on the public at large to embrace the notion of a free and independent press, in order to be updated on what happens in the country at all times.

This was highlighted by the media organisation after the  Swapo Elders Council (SPEC) recently called for a halt on the publishing of readers sms’s that appear in an English daily on issues of the day. 

According to SPEC these messages are used to demonstrate a clear sign of disrespect towards national leaders, Founding Father and Ex- President Dr Sam Nujoma, as well as President Hifikepunye Pohamba.

SPEC is also calling on NBC programmes such as "Open line" and "Chat Show" to be removed from the air, claiming that the station allows anti-Swapo hate speeches to be broadcasted.

As reported by two English Dailies, on Monday, 2 February, SPEC Secretary leader Kanana Hishoono was quoted as saying: "…the Swapo Party Elders’ Council would like to offer a kind of counsel that NBC chat shows programmes and the SMS’s published in The Namibian newspaper be re-oriented towards messages of peace, harmony and mutual understanding between individuals in society. These two media houses should not allow themselves to be used to propagate hatred and promote public discontent, whose consequences will be to ghastly to contemplate."

National Director of MISA Namibia, Mathew Haikali however, reiterates that the Namibian Press should not feel intimidated or anxious to publish or air public opinion in a country that has a Constitution that upholds the Freedom of Speech.

Similarly, Haikali also encourages the Namibian media to tell and report on the truth without fear or favour to ensure that they meet the highest standards of journalism.

"I want to emphasize that the media relies on the public and their opinions to cover stories, and as a direct result whatever comes out in the media is a reflection of what society is saying ad doing. To stop the sms’s from being published or the chat shows to be stopped would in a way be cutting off the "ears and the eyes of the media" to effectively report on issues that concern society, says Haikali.

Haikali also encouraged journalists not to publish or air information that might be in conflict with the needs of the greater society, and that could incite tension amongst Namibians, as stipulated in the Code of Ethics.

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